Collapsible cue stick

ABSTRACT

A collapsible cue stick having a butt section within which a tip shaft section can be telescopingly received so that the two sections can be stored one within the other. A bayonet lug sleeve on the tip shaft section is received in indexed relationship by a thimble mounting sleeve located on the butt section, with the coacting parts being releasably locked together by a locking thimble so that the two sections are always disposed in the same relative extended position.

United States Patent 1 1 Scroggms 1 June 19, 1973 [5 COLLAPSIBLE CUE STICK 3,470,524 9/1969 Culver 287 103 A x 2,091,794 8/1937 Pester 273/80 D UX [76] scmggns 5961mm, 2,430,649 11 1947 SCilUiZ.... 248/1885 70648 3,455,525 12/1948 Schulz.... 248/1885 2,832,598 4/1958 Strub 273/80 D UX [22] May 1971 2,912,202 11/1959 Petrick 248/1885 x [21] Appl. No.: 143,815

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pzinkham [52 U.S. c1. 273/68, 287/58 CT, 287/103 A Assistant Examiner-Richard p y 51 Int. Cl. A63d 15/08 Attorney-Marcus Bates [58] Field of Search 273/68, 80 D, 80.1;

287/58 CT, 103 A; 248/1885 [57] ABSTRACT [56] References Cited A collapsible cue stick having a butt section within 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS which a tip shaft section can be telescopingly received 2,656,203 10/1953 Musser 287/103 A x seams can be 8 2,748,261 5/1956 wolarm 287,58 CT ot e r. hayonet lug sleeve on the tip shaft section is 2,989,329 6/1961 Noah 287] CT received in indexed relationship by a thimble mounting 3,563,046 5/1972 Reine," CT sleeve located on the butt section, with the coacting 574,693 1/1897 Webster, 273 parts being releasably locked together by a locking 2,483,396 10/1949 Benson 287/58 CT thimble so that the two sections are always disposed in 2,496,264 1950 Benson /5 CT the same relative extended position. 2,915,327 12/1959 Kreske 287/58 CT 3,012,801 12/1961 Cole 287/58 CT 8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENIED JUN 1 9 ma sum 1 or z PATENIEU 9 3, 740.034

WW2 (If 2 FIG. 8

FIG. l2

Tcwg hwTiQL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The game of billiards (or pool) has grown in popularity over the last few years until it is not uncommon to find a billiard table in most any home. A cue stick is an extremely personal item of posession to one skilled in the art of playing pool, and once a player has become accustomed to the eccentricities of a particular cue stick, he is reluctant to exchange one stick of known characteristics for another of unknown characteristics. However, publicly transporting a cue stick measuring up to sixty inches in length is cumbersome, hazardous in close quarters, such as in an elevator or bus, andusually attracts excessive attention to the carrier. Accordingly, a personal one stick which can be collapsed into a convenient length for transporting and storing is desirable. A collapsible cue stick which is attractive in appearance and rugged in design and construction is also desirable.

The prior art discloses that multipiece cue sticks, in general, are old. However, most of the cue sticks of the prior art are assembled in screwed together sections that are easily separated and prone to being misplaced and therefore must be placed in a special case for transportation or storage. Moreover, if the separated sections are not amply protected they are easily marred, and if'made of wood, sometime become warped or broken.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to structure forming a novel collapsible cue stick made of two coacting members or sections and a fastener means cooperatively associated therewith. The fastener provides the means by which each section is telescopingly joined together, one within the other, to present a small package for storage or transportation; or telescopingly moved apart and extended to form a playing position. The fastener includes a lug and a j-slot arrangement spaced apart from a locking thimble which produces the necessary force to rigidly hold the lugs latched within the slots.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a cue stick which is made of a plurality of members telescopingly joined together.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a cue stick having a butt section which telescopingly receives a tip shaft section in stored relation therewithin and which can be extended into a latched playing configuration.

A further object of this invention is to disclose and provide apparatus forming a cue stick comprised of a plurality of members joined together by an improved fastener means which alwaysdisposes one member in the same relative position with respect to another member.

A still further object of this invention is to provide apparatus forming a cue stick having a plurality ofelongated members joined together in indexed relationship when extended into a playing position.

The above-objects are attained in accordance with the present invention by the provision of apparatus fabricated in a manner substantially as described in the above abstract and summary.

These and various other objects and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description and by referring to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a cue stick made in accordance with the present invention, and shown extended into its operative configuration;

FIG. 2 illustrates the cue stick seen in FIG. 1 in the collapsed or retracted configuration;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, part crosssectional view ofa portion of the apparatus seen in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, part crosssectional representation of part of the apparatus seen in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, part crosssectional representation of part of the apparatus seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the invention seen in the foregoing figures;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the invention disclosed in the foregoing figures;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a part of the apparatus seen in FIGS. 4and 5;

FIG. 9 is a hypothetical view which more fully discloses an important feature of the disclosure of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a part of the invention seen in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. llis a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a part of the invention disclosed in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 12 is a hypothetical representation which more fully discloses an important feature of the member disclosed in FIG. 11.

DETAILEDDESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose a cue stick assembly made in accordance with the present invention which is extended into operative configuration l0 and telescopingly retracted into the stored configuration indicated bynumeral 10.

The cuestick assembly, hereinafter called a cue, includes a hollow butt section 11 which forms a storage and transport housing. Butt end 12 of the butt section is provided with the illustrated resilient bumperpad. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the=forward end 13 of the butt section has telescopingly received the entire tip shaft 14 therethrough so that the'butt section totally encloses both the-tip shaft and ball contacting tip 15. The ball contacting tip can be of conventional design.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, in conjunction with the remaining figures, a rotatable thimble 16 forms the forward marginal end .portion 'of thebutt section and includesa constantdiameter portion equal to the diameter of the outershell 17. The outer shell isprovided with anartistic and attractive finish.

A mandrel 18 is longitudinally disposed within the outer sheILThemandrel and the outer shell are affixed to a lower shell retaining ring 19, the retainer ring is joined toa skirt 21, and the skirt is joined to thebefore mentioned Ibutt end.

Bayonet lug=sleeve 22, the details of which are more fully 'disclosed in FIGS. 11 and 12, is affixed to a lower marginal end portion of the tip shaft by cementing a portion of the tipshaft therewithin as illustrated in the drawings.

The before mentioned thimble includes a frusto conical portion 23 from which there depends a skirt portion. The skirt slidably overlaps a marginal end portion of a shell retainer ring 24. The shell retainer ring is circumferentially disposed about a marginal end portion of the mandrel with the mandrel separating the ring from a thimble mounting sleeve 25.

Looking now to FIG. 6 which more fully discloses the details of the lower shell retaining ring 19, it is seen that the ring has a boss 26 circumferentially disposed thereabout which reduces in diameter to form a threaded surface at 27. The ring has a drilled passageway formed at 28 and a limited counterbore at 29. The counterbore forms an outwardly directed U-shaped cavity for receiving the mandrel therein, and presents a circumferentially disposed vertical shoulder which abuttingly receives the outer shell thereagainst.

FIG. 7 more fully discloses the details of the upper shell retaining ring 24. The ring has a circumferentially extending constant diameter outer portion formed at 30 and a drilled passageway formed at 31. One circumferentially extending marginal end portion of the ring is reduced in diameter at 32 so as to rotatably receive the skirt of the thimble thereabout in close tolerance relationship. An enlarged circumferentially extending counterbore is formed at 33 for receiving the mandrel therewithin, and for abuttingly receiving an end portion of the outer shell thereagainst.

The details of the thimble mounting sleeve set forth in FIG. 8 discloses that the forward marginal outer peripheral wall surface of the sleeve is threaded at 34 for threadedly engaging a marginal inside wall portion of the thimble. Outer surface 35 is of a constant diameter for receiving the mandrel and the shell retainer ring which are rigidly affixed thereto in the illustrated manner of FIGS. 4 and 5. Apertures 36 are optionally provided for attachment of flush rivets which may be driven through the shell retainer ring, the mandrel, and the sleeve.

A plurality of j-slots are radially disposed about the trailing marginal edge portion of the mounting sleeve. Each j-slot is formed by wall portion 37 which is connected to the longitudinally extending slot 38, with the portion generally indicated by the arrow at numeral 39 indicating the latch portion of the j-slot. The hypothetical representation of FIG. 9 is to be interpreted as though the member of FIG. 8 had been sawed longitudinally along one wall and laid open to disclose the relationship of one j-slot with respect to another. It will be noted that each of the slots are disposed in unsymmetrical radially spaced apart positions relative to one another about the circumference of the mounting sleeve.

- Looking to the details of the locking thimble disclosed in FIG. 10, the outer body portion 40 of the thimble has a constant diameter for a limited portion of its length, then reduces in diameter to form'the illustrated before mentioned frusto cone. The constant diameter portion of the thimble is provided with internal threads at 41 for engaging sleeve threads 34, and further includes an inwardly diverging section 42 which is machined into a finished female bearing surface at 43. The bearing surface 43 is disposed at an angle with respect to the axial axis. The skirt of the thimble is disclosed as being in the form of a limited counterbore 44.

The bayonet lug sleeve is attached to the butt end of the tip shaft and includes a marginal central portion 45 which is of constant reduced diameter. The forward marginal portion of the sleeve is provided with a conical male bearing surface 46 which is complementary with respect to the female bearing surface 43. As the two main sections are telescopingly joined together in the extended or playing configuration, the male surface area bears against the female surface area with increased force as one section is moved relative to the other. Counterbore 47 is preferably of constant diameter so as to receive at least a limited portion of the tip shaft therein. Enlargement 48 is provided with three radially spaced apart apertures 49' for receiving the radially spaced apart lugs 49 therein, using any convenient means of attachment desired.

In the hypothetical illustration of FIG. 12, which is similar in some respects to that of FIG. 9, each of the apertures 49' are spaced apart from the other an un equal amount. This feature of construction provides the means by which one lug is indexed with one j-slot of FIG. 9. This arrangement causes the j-slots to always receive the lugs in the same relative position.

OPERATION To ready the cue for play, the grommet is removed from the free end of the thimble to thereby release the tip shaft from the enclosed position. The thimble is then loosened several turns. The tip shaft will slide from the butt section when the forward end of the cue is tilted in a downward direction. As the tip shaft slides from the butt section, the lugs on the bayonet lug sleeve abutt the j-slots of the thimble mounting sleeve. The tip shaft is then rotated the required amount to cause the lugs to engage the corresponding slots 38 in the sleeve, thereby enabling the same lug to always bottom in the same j-slot. As the lugs pass through slots 38 the shaft is again rotated until the lugs are locked within the enlargement of the j-slots. Next the thimble is tightened, thereby bringing the male and female bearing surfaces against each other as the lugs are forced against locking surface 39 of the j-slot.

Since the slots are angularly displaced with respect to one another and can be indexed with the corresponding lugs in only one relative position, this feature of the invention assures that the tip section will always be aligned with the butt section in the same manner each time the cue is extended into operative position. This feature also assures that the assembled cue maintains its balance and trueness and that the performance characteristics are not altered by frequent assembly and disassembly.

As the thimble is tightened against the thimble mounting sleeve, the bayonet lug sleeve is placed in compression and face 46 is forced towards lugs 49. At the same time, the thimble mounting bayonet sleeve as well as the thimble are placed in tension as the threaded surface at 41 is made up on the threaded surface 34. The complementary taper of bearing surfaces 43, 46 are spaced apart from the lugs a sufficient amount to provide a rigid joint which always brings the tip shaft into exact alignment with the butt section because of the moments involved. This clever arrangement of forces assures concentricity and ample support for maintaining rigidity.

To store the cue stick, the thimble is loosened sufficiently to enable the tip shaft to be rotated relative to the butt section thereby bringing the lugs into alignment with longitudinally extending slots 38, whereupon the shaft may be telescoped into the butt section, the thimble tightened, and the elastic grommet affixed to the annulus formed at the forward end of the butt section by the shaft and the thimble.

The present invention provides a cue stick which is less vulnerable to damage in that it is not likely to be broken, warped, or marred such as would be expected when transported along with luggage and the like. The threaded area of the thimble can include different types of thread designs so as to achieve any desired mechanical advantage as well as minimizing the number of turns required of the threads in order to assemble or disassemble the apparatus.

I claim:

1. A collapsible cue stick of the type which can be extended into a playing position and retracted into a stored position;

said cue stick including a butt section and a tip shaft section; said butt section including a mandrel which is in the form of an elongated cylinder, said mandrel including a butt end portion and an opposed end portion; means at said opposed end portion of said mandrel providing a threaded surface; a hollow locking thimble having a marginal inside threaded surface and a tapered marginal female bearing surface with the last two surfaces being spaced from one another;

said threaded surface of said hollow locking thimble threadedly engaging said threaded surface provided at said opposed end portion of said mandrel; said tip shaft section being of a diameter to enable it to be telescopingly received within said butt secmeans formed thereon, with said lug means and male bearing surface being spaced from one another; lug engaging means formed on said mandrel in spaced relationship relative to said female bearing surface for releasably engaging said lug means when the tip shaft section is in the extended position relative'to the butt section, with the male and female bearing surfaces bearing against one another so that when the apparatus is in the extended said sleeve includes said [lug engaging means thereon which is adapted to removably receive said lug therein.

3. The cue stick of claim 1, and further including an outer shell placed about said mandrel, said shell forming the outer peripheral surface of said butt section, a shell retainer ring affixed to the marginal end portions of said mandrel; and said outer shell being captured by said retainer ring.

4. The cue stick of claim 1, wherein said lug engaging means includes a thimble mounting sleeve having radially spaced j-slots formed about a marginal end portion thereof; said j-slots being unequally spaced with respect to one another;

said lug means including a lug sleeve having a plurality of radially spaced apart lugs thereon, with said lugs being indexed with respect to said j-slots of said thimble mounting sleeve.

5. The cue stick of claim 1 wherein said threaded surface of said mandrel and said lug engaging means are formed by a thimble mounting sleeve, said mounting sleeve being affixed to said mandrel; said mounting sleeve includes a forward marginal outer peripheral wall surface having the last said threaded surface formed thereon; said lug engaging means being a plurality of j-slots radially disposed about a trailing marginal edge portion of said mounting sleeve;

said hollow thimble having a constant diameter portion which converges to form a frusto cone with the interior of said constant diameter portion being provided with said threaded surface of said hollow thimble, and with said female bearing surface being formed interiorly of said frusto cone.

6. The cue stick of claim 5, wherein said j-slots are unequally spaced from one another; said lugs being spaced radially apart with each lug being received in a corresponding j-slot so that the lugs are indexed with respect to the j-slots. p

7. The cue stick of claim 1 wherein said lug receiving means are radially spaced apart from one another and circumferentially spaced apart an unequal circumferentially extending distance;

said lug means being outwardly disposed with respect to said shaft with one lug adapted to engage one lug receiving means; said bearing means on said thimble and on said mandrel being in the form of opposed wedges, so as to force said lug against said lug receiving means when said butt portion and said tip portion are locked into the extended position.

8. The cue stick of claim 1, wherein said lug receiving means include three radially spaced j-slots; said lug means include three radially spaced lugs, means by which said lugs are received within the j-slots so that the tip section always is indexed with the butt section in the same relative position. 

1. A collapsible cue stick of the type which can be extended into a playing position and retracted into a stored position; said cue stick including a butt section and a tip shaft section; said butt section including a mandrel which is in the form of an elongated cylinder, said mandrel including a butt end portion and an opposed end portion; means at said opposed end portion of said mandrel providing a threaded surface; a hollow locking thimble having a marginal inside threaded surface and a tapered marginal female bearing surface with the last two surfaces being spaced from one another; said threaded surface of said hollow locking thimble threadedly engaging said threaded surface provided at said opposEd end portion of said mandrel; said tip shaft section being of a diameter to enable it to be telescopingly received within said butt section, to thereby enable the two sections to be stored, one within the other; said tip shaft section being in the form of an elongated shaft having opposed end portions; a lug means, a tip, and a male bearing surface; one end of said shaft having said tip formed thereon for contacting a ball, and, the remaining end of said shaft having said male bearing surface and said lug means formed thereon, with said lug means and male bearing surface being spaced from one another; lug engaging means formed on said mandrel in spaced relationship relative to said female bearing surface for releasably engaging said lug means when the tip shaft section is in the extended position relative to the butt section, with the male and female bearing surfaces bearing against one another so that when the apparatus is in the extended position, rotational movement of the hollow thimble moves the male and female bearing surfaces against one another and locks the lug means to the lug engaging means, to thereby releasably anchor the tip section to the butt section.
 2. The cue stick of claim 1 wherein said lug means includes a lug sleeve having a radially disposed lug at one extremity thereof; a thimble mounting sleeve formed on said mandrel, said sleeve includes said lug engaging means thereon which is adapted to removably receive said lug therein.
 3. The cue stick of claim 1, and further including an outer shell placed about said mandrel, said shell forming the outer peripheral surface of said butt section, a shell retainer ring affixed to the marginal end portions of said mandrel; and said outer shell being captured by said retainer ring.
 4. The cue stick of claim 1, wherein said lug engaging means includes a thimble mounting sleeve having radially spaced j-slots formed about a marginal end portion thereof; said j-slots being unequally spaced with respect to one another; said lug means including a lug sleeve having a plurality of radially spaced apart lugs thereon, with said lugs being indexed with respect to said j-slots of said thimble mounting sleeve.
 5. The cue stick of claim 1 wherein said threaded surface of said mandrel and said lug engaging means are formed by a thimble mounting sleeve, said mounting sleeve being affixed to said mandrel; said mounting sleeve includes a forward marginal outer peripheral wall surface having the last said threaded surface formed thereon; said lug engaging means being a plurality of j-slots radially disposed about a trailing marginal edge portion of said mounting sleeve; said hollow thimble having a constant diameter portion which converges to form a frusto cone with the interior of said constant diameter portion being provided with said threaded surface of said hollow thimble, and with said female bearing surface being formed interiorly of said frusto cone.
 6. The cue stick of claim 5, wherein said j-slots are unequally spaced from one another; said lugs being spaced radially apart with each lug being received in a corresponding j-slot so that the lugs are indexed with respect to the j-slots.
 7. The cue stick of claim 1 wherein said lug receiving means are radially spaced apart from one another and circumferentially spaced apart an unequal circumferentially extending distance; said lug means being outwardly disposed with respect to said shaft with one lug adapted to engage one lug receiving means; said bearing means on said thimble and on said mandrel being in the form of opposed wedges, so as to force said lug against said lug receiving means when said butt portion and said tip portion are locked into the extended position.
 8. The cue stick of claim 1, wherein said lug receiving means include three radially spaced j-slots; said lug means include three radially spaced lugs, means by which said lugs are received within the j-slots so that the tip section always is indexed with the Butt section in the same relative position. 